Recessed contact electrical connector



Dec. 2, 1969 R. SENIOR RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR aSheets-She et 1 Filed April 10, 196'? INVENTOR Robes"? Senior ATTORNEYSDec. 2, 1969 R. SENIOR RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 6Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1967 INVENTOR Rober'i' Senior ATTORNEYSDc. 2, 1969 R. SENIOR RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 10, 1967 u m: 3 I l I 8. \.o H 6. a MM i111 wI 3 i II M 0m wo 0W w w 5. m m o: m:

INVENTOR Rober? Senior fim ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 Filed April 10, 196'?R. SENIOR RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR Rober? Senior BEWGQZW/ ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 R. SENIORRECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 10,1967 r .m R n 8 m3 m f V e mb Y B wt mt mm: NmN

N2 mmm mmm ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 R. SENIOR 3,482,295

RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed April 10, 1967 6Sheets-Sheet 6 g- 6 f g g5 f a X E Q N g ,1 g Q g i :2

iv" & gg g iiggl \ijiz A a M W 4 g g INVENTOR Robert Senior ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent O 3,482,205 RECESSED CONTACT ELECTRICAL CONNECTORRobert Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Empire Products, Inc.,Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No.629,624 Int. Cl. H01r 13/50 US. Cl. 339-189 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A pair of male and female electrical cable connectors areprovided, the female connector being constructed of conductive andinsulative portions. The conductive portions are so disposed relative tothe insulative portions that it is almost impossible for an operator tomake accidental contact with a conductive surface on the femaleconnector, so that the connector may be more safely used by an operator.Means for preventing accidental contact with the male connector is alsoprovided, as is means for supporting interengaged connectors. Multipleelectrical circuits may be simultaneously connected.

This invention relates to the electrical connector art, that is, the artconcerned with the releasable interconnection of electrical cables.Interengagement of electrical cables is a common necessity in variousfields of ende'avor where a power source is situated remotely withrespect to the place where electrical power must be applied, or wherethe application of power is through means which are not stationary. Thisis the case, for example, where welding operations are carried out orwhere movable electrically powered machinery is employed.

In the applications where it is contemplated that the present inventionwill be applied, electrical cables of substantial size are employed, andsome of the cable connecting means known in the prior art which might beturned to provide a structure solving the problem with which the presentinvention is concerned are unsuitable because they are' adaptable onlyfor use with electrical wires of small size and could not be adapted forsizable cables.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide cableconnectors which are safer in use than connectors which are otherwisecommonly employed. In achieving this objective, it was recognized thatin common practice it is the female connector in electrical cableconnectors which is electrically live, while the male connector iselectrically inactive until connection is made with the female. Thisbeing the case, attention was directed at providing a female connectorsimple in construction and therefore economic to manufacture. Moreover,by reason of the simplicity of its construction the likelihood ofmalfunction is minimized. What is here provided contrasts dramaticallywith those devices provided in the prior art for the same purpose, forknown electrical connectors constructed for the primary purpose ofachieving safety are complex in structure, relatively expensive tomanufacture, and subject to mechanical failure or malfunction.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention is characterized inthat means are provided to minimize mechanical stress upon theconnectors when they are in interengaged relationship. By providing suchmeans the primary objective of safety is augmented by reducing thepossibility of separation of interengaged connectors when suchseparation is not desired by the operator.

Still another obje'ctive herein is to provide a connector characterizedas described above by the use of which a plurality of electricalcircuits may be simultaneously completed when a single female-maleconnector is interengaged.

How these and many other objectives are to be implemented will becomeclear through a consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a section view of an assembly of elements comprising afemale connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an end view of the assembly in FIG. 1 looking towards theleft end ignoring the section lines of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a male connector assembly with parts insection according to the present invention, it being understood thatthis assembly may be introduced into female connector assembly, and uponengagement the insulating sleeve of FIG. 1 will be disposed in partWithin the insulating sleeve in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 shows a view at 55 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a closure unit in place over an end of the male connectorassembly of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a view looking at the right end of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 of the closure unit in placeupon a male connector assembly, with cover elevated to permitinterengagement between male and female connectors, means in such coverto support connectors during engagement being visible.

FIG. 9 is a section view of a female connector assembly according to asecond embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view looking at the left end of the female connectorassembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a section at 1111 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a section view of a male connector assembly according to thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a view of the assembly of FIG. 12, taken at 13-13 therein.

The drawings show a female connector assembly 10. The separate elementscomprising such assembly may best be seen in the exploded view of FIG.2. Female conductor element 11 has hollow tubular base portion 12 intowhich the conductive strands 13 of an electrical cable may be inserted,being retained therein by set screws 14 which may be thre'aded intotapped holes 15. Female conductor element 11 is formed with a pair ofarms 16 and 17 projecting from base portion 12. Arms 16 and 17 arearcuate in cross-section with concave interior surfaces 18- and 19respectively, are disposed oppositely to each other, and are separatedfrom each other by a pair of spaces.

Cylindrical button 21 of non-conductive material is disposed between thearms 16 and 17. The diameter of button 21 is such that the button restsin close proximity to concave interior contact surface 18 and 19.Depressions 22 are present in the periphery of button 21. Holes 23 havebeen pierced in arms 16 and 17 and pins 24 are passed through holes 23in arms 16 and 17 into registering depressions 22 in button 21 in orderto maintain button 21 in position at the bottom of arms 16 and 17.

Non-conductor element 11. Collar portion 29 of element 28, when suchelement 28 is assembled with conductor element 11, is in contact withend surfaces 30 and 31 of arms 16 and 17, respectively. When elements 28and 11 are so assembled, arcuate surfaces 32 and 33 of walls 34 and 35,such walls having free ends 3411 and 350: respectively, are in snugcontact with the interior contact surfaces 18 and 19 of arms 16 and 17,while spacer portions 40 and 41 having depending skirts 42 and 43respectively, lie in the spaces between arms 16 and 17. Pins 44 may bepassed through holes 46 and 47 in skirts 42 and 43 and then intodepressions 22 in button 21 whereby insert element 28 is secured inplace in assembly with female conductor element 11. It will beappreciated that when the assembly of female conductor element 11,non-conductive button 21 and non-conductive insert element 28 is made,the only portion of interior contact surfaces 18 and 19 not sheathedwith the insulation provided by button 21 and insert element 28 is thatbetween end surface 48 of button 21 and the free ends 34a and 35a ofwalls 34 and 35.

The female connector assembly 10 is provided with an insulating sleevein two parts. The first part 52 is disposed over the portion of femaleconductor element 11 where arms 16 and 17 of such conductor occur andinsert element 28 is in place. Sleeve part 52 has an interior annularrecess at 53 which recess accommodates collar portion 29 of the insertelement 28. There is present at the other end of sleeve part 52 joinderportion 54 of reduced diameter from the balance of sleeve part 52.Joinder portion 54 is subdivided into part 55 of major diameter and part56 of minor diameter, shoulder 57 being the place where the change indiameter in joinder portion 54 occurs.

The interior of the second part 61 of insulating sleeve in femaleconnector assembly 10 is formed to accommodate joinder portion 54 of thefirst part 52, and has corresponding internal annular surfaces toreceive such portions of joinder portion 54. Thus, wall 62 butts againstthe free end of joinder portion 54 while annular recesses 63 and 64accommodate part 55 of major diameter, and part 56 of minor diameterrespectively of joinder portion 54. Between internal annular recesses 63and 64 in sleeve portion 61 is a shoulder 65 which serves to retain thetwo insulating sleeve portions assembled by entering into interferingcontact with shoulder 57 in joinder portion 54.

In practice, female conductor element 11, button 21, and insert element28 are assembled and first part 52 of the insulating sleeve is slippedover the end of such assembly to assume e relationship heretoforeindicated with collar portion 29- of the insert element 28 disposedwithin annular recess 53 of sleeve part 52. Second part 61 of theinsulating sleeve is meanwhile pushed up on a cable 66 for which cablethe female connector assembly 10 will provide the terminus, theconductive strands 13 within cable 66 being introduced into hollowtubular base portion 12 and there secured in place by means of setscrews 14. After the cable 66 and the conductor element 11 are firmlyjoined, portion 61 of the insulating sleeve may manually be pulled downand over the exposed metal surface of female conductor element 11 untilwall 62 in its forward end butts against the free end of joinder portion54 in sleeve part 52, and internal recesses 63 and 64, and shoulder 65receive corresponding surfaces 55 and 56 and shoulder 57 of first part52 of the insulating sleeve.

A cavity 71 in conductor element 11 is provided to receive pin 72 (seeFIG. 2) formed into the internal wall of second part 61 of theinsulating sleeve, and when such part 61 is assembled with the remainderof the female connector assembly 10, sleeve part 61 is rotated until pin72 falls into cavity 71. This engagement serves to lock the femaleconductor element 11 and associated parts, button 21 and insert element28, firmly within part 61 of the insulating sleeve and also provides aknown orientation between hole 73 provided in external surface of sleeveportion 61, and exposed portions of internal surfaces of arms 16 and 17,for a purpose hereinafter to be discussed. Also reserved for laterdiscussion is the configuration of the various interior surfaces ofinsert element 28.

FIGS. 4 and are views showing the male connector assembly 77 whichconsists of male conductor element 78 housed within external insulatorstructure 79. Male conductor element 78 has hollow larger end 80providing a receptacle 81 into which the conductor 82 of a cable 83 maybe introduced, such conductor there being secured in place by means ofset screws 84 and 85.

Reduced end 90 of male conductor element 78 is the portion de gn d toenter in o e e t ical ngag en co ductive surfaces in famelace conductorelement 11. Such reduced end has a stern portion 91 and a terminal node92. Between stern portion 91 and node 92 are a pair of short, oppositelyextending arms 93 and 94, each of which terminates in an arcuatelyshaped surface 95 and 96 respectively, which surfaces are disposedaxially with reference to male conductor element 78. It is thesesurfaces, 95 and 96 in conductor element 78, which are depended upon tomake electrical contact with the other conductor element 11 (see FIGS. 1and 3) and ultimately to make electrical contact between cables 66 and83. Protuberance 97 is present on one of the oppositely extending arms,in the embodiment shown in the drawings, on arm 93. Protuberance 97 isimportant in regulating the interengagement of male and female conductorelements as will hereinafter appear. A pair of spokes 101 and 102 extendfrom opposite sides of stem portion 91 and are present for the purposeof governing the extent to which mutual rotation of conductor elementswill be permitted upon interengagement, as will also be more fullydescribed hereafter.

External insulator structure 79 in the male connector assembly 77 ismade up of rear portion 103, forward portion 104, and between them,annular flange 105. Rear portion 103 is pierced at 106 and 107 to permitthe insertions of set screws 84 and 85 to retain cable 83 within maleconductor element 78. After the set screws are in place, appropriateplugs, 108 and 109 may be inserted at 106 and 107 in order in order toafford protection against contact with the set screws.

Forward portion 104 consists of a hollow cylinder within which reducedend 90 of a male conductor element 78 is present, such conductor element78 being spaced from the internal wall of such forward portion 104.Annular flange has apertures through which bolts 111 may be passed inorder that male connector assembly may be mounted upon the wall 112 as,for example, of a machine housing, the bolts 111 passing through wall112 as well as aperatures in annular flange 105, and being secured bymeans of nuts 113.

As has been described, the embodiment of the present invention hereillustrated consists of a male connector assembly 78 mounted on the wallof a machine housing which provides the terminus for one cable 83, and afemale connector assembly 11 terminating a second cable 66, whichassemblies may be interengaged. While the external configuration ofinsert element 28 in the female connector assembly 10 was described indetail above, description of the internal configuration thereof was leftuntil this point because such configuration governs interengagement ofthe assemblies. As may best be seen in FIG. 3, in the passageway throughthe interior of insert element 28 the dimension betwen surfaces 117 and118 is greater than it is between surfaces 119 and 120. Groove 121 ispresent in surface 119.

Now let us relate reduced end 90 of male conductor element 78 to theinternal passageway through insert element 28. The forward end of suchreduced end 90, at which node 92 and arms 93 and 94 occur, can beintroduced into the passageway in only one manner, to-wit: with arms 93and 94 extending in the direction between surfaces 117 and 118, and themale connection will only pass into this passageway when thisdisposition is made so that protuberance 97 may slide into and alonggroove 121. When proper mutual orientation of male conductor element 77and the internal passageway of insert element 28 and female connectorassembly 10 has been made as outlined, the male conductor element 78 maybe intro duced into the passageway until terminal node 92 entersdepression 122 in button 21. When this occurs, protuberance 97 will havepassed out of the bottom of groove 121 so that male conductor element 78is free to turn relative to female connector assembly 10.

It will be appreciated that surface 119 is the internal s rf ce of thewall .in inser e men 28 f r wh ch a a e surface 33 is the externalsurface, while internal surface 120 is the internal surface of arcuatewall for which arcuate surface 32 is the external surface. Similarly,internal surface 117 is the internal surface of spacer portion 40, whileinternal surface 118 is the internal surface of spacer portion 41. Astudy of FIG. 2 will consequently disclose that when arcuate surfaces 95and 96 on arms 93 and 94 respectively of male conductor assembly 78 areinserted as far as they can go into the internal passageway of femaleconnector assembly 10, but not until such complete insertion, suchsurfaces may be rotated out of contact with depending skirts 42 and 43of spacer portions 40 and 41 respectively.

When they are so rotated, the surfaces 95 and 96 will come into contactwith the portions of internal surfaces 18 and 19 of arms 16 and 17 infemale conductor element 11 not sheathed by non-conductive walls ofinsert element 28, and, by reason of the interfering presence of thefree ends 34a and 35a of the walls 34 and 35 in insert element 28, maynot be withdrawn from such engagement. Upon such rotation, a limit tothe amount of rotation is provided by reason of the presence of quadrantrecesses 123 and 124 which cooperate with spokes 101 and 102 extendingfrom stem portion 91 of the male conductor element 78. A limit to suchrotation is fixed when such spokes come into contact with limit surfaces125 and 126 (FIG. 3) in quadrant recesses 123 and 124 respectively.Locking engagement of male and female connector assemblies may be sim lycarried out in the manner described, and release thereof is also aSimple matter of mutual rotation of components in the opposite directionand withdrawal for separation thereof.

I have shown a female connector assembly which may with safety be leftexposed. Because of the masking of all save a restricted area ofconductive surface, it would be extremely diflicult for a person totouch an electrically live surface. It may be desirable to providesafety protection for the amle connector assembly as well. This may bedone by means of a cover unit such as is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, theunit being generally indexed 130. The unit has a barrel portion 131within which would fit the forward portion 104 of external insulatorstructure 79 of male connector assembly 77. Flange portion 132 has bolts133 by means of which such flange portion can be secured to wall 112 andannular flange 105 (FIG. 6). Bracket 134 is fastened to barrel portion131 as by welding, and rod 135 passes through arms 136 and 137 inbracket 134 as well as arms 138 and 139 in bracket 140, bracket 140being appropriately secured to cover 144. Spring 145 loads bracket 140,normally urging cover 144 to cover the open end of barrel portion 131 ofthe cover unit.

The cover 144 may be lifted away from covering position against thepressure of spring 145 by exerting appropriate pressure upon handle 146.When cover 144 is so raised that male connector assembly 77 may beinterengaged with female connector assembly 10, and locking engagementhas been achieved in the manner heretofore indicated, by reason of theorientation which holes 73 must assume upon such interengagement, one ofthe holes 73 will be in a position to receive depending lug 147 whichprojects from the inside of cover 144. Such disppsition of lug 147within hole 173 will prevent counter-rotation of the female connectorassembly relative to the male under conditions where this is notdesired, as where a large inductive load is applied to the circuit,which can cause a free cable to kick. In addition entry of lug 147 intosuch hole will serve to retain the male connector assembly in engagementwith the female connector assembly 10 without undue stress and strainthereupon.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. l-8 and describedin connection therewith enables the making of electrical connectionbetween two single cables. In addition, it is possible by utilizing thepresent invention to make simultaneous electrical contact of a pluralityof electrical circuits by the interengagement of a single male connectorassembly with a single female connector assembly. Thus, the making ofelectrical contact between two pairs of electrical cables is illustratedin FIGS. 9-13. The female connector assembly of this embodiment isindexed 150. The female conductor element 151 is composite in structure,consisting of a pair of contact arms 152 and 153, each of such armsbeing in electrical contact with a conductive cable sleeve 154 and 155respectively. For purposes of this description it will be convenient torefer to a contact arm together with the cable .sleeve with which it isin contact as a couple.

The couple made up of contact arm 152 and cable sleeve 154 is maintainedin the same structure with couple made up of contact arm 153 and cablesleeve 155 by securing each couple to a molded plastic body 156, whichmolded plastic body 156 insulates the two couples from each other.Screws 160 secure the first couple to the plastic body 156, while screws161 do the same for the second couple. Any suitable plastic dielectriccapable of being molded to the desired shape may be employed in makingthe molded plastic body 156. I have found diallyl phthalate suitable forthis purpose.

Cable 162 having interior conductors 163 is secured within conductivecable sleeve 154 by means of screws 164. Likewise, a second cable 165having interior con ductors 166 is secured within conductive cablesleeve 155 by means of screws 167.

Because of the molded plastic body 156 which is present in thisembodiment, and which serves as a core for the female conductor element151, it is unnecessary to have a. separate button element such as isshown at 21 in the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-8. Instead, a cup 171 isformed directly into plastic body 156 with depressions 172 adjacent suchcup, cup 171 defining a bottom to a passage between contact arms 152 and153. At the open or free ends of contact arms 152 and 153 there ispresent non-conductive insert element 173 having collar portion 174which butts against the free ends of contact arms 152 and 153. There isan internal passageway through insert element 173, and the configurationof such internal passageway is such as to accommodate the male conductorelement which will hereafter be described.

The female connector assembly 150 includes external insulator sleevemeans in two parts, part 175 being disposed about the portion of thecomposite female conductor element 151 where contact arms 152 and 153,as Well as insert element 173 occur. There is an internal shoulder 176in sleeve part 175 which mates with a like shoulder in insert element173, so that when sleeve part 175 is in place on the female conductorelement 151, it serves to retain insert element 173 within the assembly.Annular groove 178 in sleeve part 175 accommodates annular ring 179integrally formed on the internal surface of the second part, indexed180, of external insulating sleeve in the female connector assembly 150.Clamp 181 which may be tightened or loosened by means of screw 182, whenin the tightened condition as shown in FIG. 9 secures the second sleevepart securely in place with respect to the first sleeve part 175.

A second clamp 183, tightened or loosened by means of screw 184, holdssecond part 180 of the external sleeve securely in place with respect tocables 162 and 165 which pass therethrough.

Male conductor element 185 having contours mating with those of theinternal passageway through insert element 173, is a part of maleconnector assembly 186. Male conductor element 185 is composite,consisting of contact member 1 87, which is in electrical contact withcable sleeve 188, and a second contact member 189 in electrical contactwith cable sleeve 190. Couples consisting of contact member 187 andcable sleeve 188, and contact member 189 and cable sleeve 190, areseparated and insulated from each other by means of molded plastic body191. Again, diallyl phthalate is a suitable material for such plasticbody.

Conductors 195 within cable 196 are retainer within cable sleeve 188 bymeans of set screws 197 while conductors 198 within cable 199 areretained within cable sleeve 190 by means of set screws 200.

In addition to male conductor element 185, male connector assembly 186has external insulating means consisting of a two-part sleve, first part201 being cylindrical and the internal wall being spaced from theportion of male conductor element 185 where contact members 187 and 189occur. Annular channel 205 in first part 201 accepts an annular ringwhich comprises an integral portion of the second part 207 of theexternal sleeve whereby through cooperation of clamp 208, which may betightened by means of screws 209, the two parts 201 and 207 of theexternal sleeve are firmly united. A second clamp 210, which may betightened by means of screw 211, tightens the other end of second part207 of the external sleeve about cables 196 and 199.

As was heretofore suggested, description of the interrelationship offemale and male connector assemblies 150 and 186 respectively has beendeferred until this point,

after general descriptions of these assemblies has been a made. Contactmembers 187 and 189 each has a lateral extension 216 and 217respectively, culminating in respective contact surfaces 218 and 219.Guide pin 220 is present on lateral extension 217 for the purpose ofmaking it possible for assembly 186 to enter the passageway in insertelement 173 in only one fashion.

Insert element 173 (FIG. 10) includes a keyway 221 along which guide pin220 may pass, it not being possible to interengage the connectorassemblies unless guide pin 220 enters the keyway 221, and therebycontrol may be easily maintained over which of the two cables terminatedby female connector assembly 150 is put into contact with which of thetwo cables terminated by male connector assembly 186.

Passageway in insert 173 has a greater dimension, extending betweensurfaces 225 and 226 (FIG. 10), and a lesser dimension, extendingbetween surfaces 227 and 228. It will be seen that male conductorelement 186 may be introduced into passageway in insert 173 with contactsurfaces 218 and 219 facing surfaces 225 and 226 respectively.Introduction may continue until forward end 229 of male connectorelement reaches the bottom of cup 171. At that point contact surfaces218 and 219 will be facing a dielectric surface. It becomes necessary,in order to achieve contact with any portion of contact arms 152 and153, to rotate male conductor element approximately 90 to bring contactsurfaces 218 and 218 in male conductor into contact with contact arms152 and 153 in female conductor. Rotation is stopped at this point assurfaces 230 and 231 in male conductor element 185 come into contactwith stop surfaces 235 and 236, respectively.

In order to assure that following such rotation, good electrical contactwill be assured, a dielectric collar 237 encircles contact arms 152 and153. Retainer ring 238 passes about such collar, being within channel239 in such collar. The function of collar 237 is to insulate retainerring 238 from contact arms 152 and 153. By means of ring 238, thespreading of contact arms 152 and 153 under the pressure of lateralextensions 216 and 217 is inhibited, and a counterforce tending to urgecontact arms 152 and 153 towards each other, and in a direction tendingto assure good electrical contact, is exerted.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown inthe drawings and described in the specification, it is apparent thatchanges and modifications may be made therein and as so changed ormodified the resultant structures may still be within the ambit of thepresent invention.

I claim:

1. Electrical cable coupling structure comprising cooperating first andsecond electrical connector assemblies:

said first electrical connector assembly including a base portionincluding means for receiving and retaining a cable in electricalcontact, a stem portion, a cross arm on said stem portion, and a contactsurface on said cross arm, said contact surface being axially disposedrelative to said stem portion and having an axial dimension, said secondelectrical connector assembly including a base portion including meansfor receiving and retaining a cable in electrical contact, and a barrelportion extending from said second electrical connector assembly baseportion, said barrel portion having an internal passageway therein intowhich said cross arm and contact surface of said first assembly may beintroduced, said barrel portion comprising a plurality of spaced arcuateconductive arms extending from said second electrical connector assemblybase portion, and an insulative insert element,

spacer portions in said insert element disposed between said spacedarcuate conductive arms, the interior surfaces of at least one of saidarcuate arms and an adjacent spaced portion providing a substantiallycontinuous surface whereby said contact surface on said cross arm may berotated smoothly from contact with a spacer portion to contact with anarcuate arm, upon rotation of one of said assemblies relative to theother, and wall portions in said insert element disposed between saidspacer portions, and of shorter length than said spacer portions, saidwall portions overlaying a portion of the interior surfaces of saidspaced arcuate conductive arms and leaving a band of the interiorsurfaces of said spaced arcuate conductive arms uncovered, said contactsurface moving into said band after said cross arm is inserted into saidpassageway and one of said assemblies is rotated relative to the other,the axial length of said band being greater than the axial dimension ofsaid contact surface of said first assembly, axial movement of saidcontact surface relative to said barrel portion when said contactsurface is in contact with an arcuate arm being obstructed by one ofsaid wall portions.

2. In a female electrical connector assembly for accommodating a maleconnector assembly having a stem portion bearing a cross arm terminatingin a contact surface,

a femaleconductor element comprising a base portion having means thereinfor receiving and retaining a cable in electrical contact, and

a plurality of spaced arcuate arms extending from said base portion, and

a non-conductive insert element having a plurality of arcuate spacerportions, each disposed hetween two of said arcuate contoured arms, theinterior surfaces of at least one arcuate arm and an adjacent arcuatespacer portion providing a substantially continuous surface whereby saidcontact surface on said cross arm may be rotated smoothly from con- 9 10tact with a spacer portion to contact with an 1,251,618 1/1918 Bahls eta1. 339189 arcuate arm, 1,509,839 9/1924 Kuhn 339189 a plurality ofarcuate arm sheathing walls disposed 1,63 0,401 5/ 1927 Meyer 339-44between arcuate spacer portions, said walls ly- 2,562,592 7/1951Woodside et a1 339-189 ing interiorly of said arcuate arms in saidfemale 5 3,154,646 10/ 1964 Iurca et a1 20051.08 conductor element, saidwalls being of lesser 3,284,753 11/ 196 6 Goldbaum et al. 339-44 lengththan said spacer portions, whereby a por- 3,339,171 8/ 1967 Carlson 33942 tion of at least one of said arcuate arms adjacent said base portionis left exposed by said FOREIGN PATENTS sheathing walls, and I 0 1,5811897 Great Britain. an internal passageway through said insert element iwhich said cross arm y be inserted JOSEPH H. MCGLYNN, Assistant ExaminerReferences Cited RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner UNITED STATESPATENTS 15 Us CL XR.

1,209,892 12/1916 Seemann 339 44 33944

